After five seasons, four playoff berths, two Pro Bowl selections, and one (historic) unanimous MVP Award — it appears the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson might be headed for an unceremonious divorce.
At Tuesday’s deadline to franchise tag NFL players, the Ravens applied one to Jackson. But it wasn’t the typical “exclusive” variety many of us are accustomed to. No, instead, Baltimore reportedly used a non-exclusive distinction on the talisman quarterback.
Here’s what that important label means.
Prospective teams wanting Jackson can now send in lucrative contract offers. If the Ravens match another organization’s terms, that is the deal Jackson receives and plays on with Baltimore for the foreseeable future. If the Ravens don’t match, Jackson heads to that team while the Ravens receive two first-round picks. And that’s all they wrote in this chapter.
Given the distinction of financial terms in play, this is NOT a trade.
Any team that potentially gets Jackson into the fold is essentially signing him to the contract they want while then surrendering draft picks. They don’t have to give up any other assets. It’s confusing, I know, but … still not a trade!
Let’s break down a short list of realistic teams who could send unmatchable Jackson contract offers to Baltimore. (Note: All cap data is courtesy of Over The Cap.)
6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers might be at the start of life without Tom Brady and should probably try and tank for USC’s Caleb Williams next year.
But wouldn’t it be really fun to see Jackson play in Western Florida? Wouldn’t be it pretty sweet to see him launch dimes to Chris Godwin and (maybe) Mike Evans? It’s not like the Buccaneers are cash-strapped. They have over $58 million in cap space, and they need a quarterback.
Getting Jackson would be bold but certainly not out of the ordinary for GM Jason Licht.
5
Tennessee Titans
If you’re inspired by 34-year-old Ryan Tannehill’s future exploits with the Titans, you might be the only one. If you’re excited by second-year QB Malik Willis’ outlook, well, there’s probably more of you, but still not many!
After the PR disaster that was the A.J. Brown trade and a lackluster finish to the 2022 campaign, Tennessee needs to put itself back on the board. Mike Vrabel can’t afford to wash out again if he wants to keep his job.
So, you tell me: Would you rather be in Tannehill or Willis’ hands … or Jackson’s? The answer should be elementary.
Tennessee currently has only approximately $13 million in cap space. But after likely releasing Bud Dupree and doing some cap gymnastics, all bets are off. Jackson in Nashville would be sensational. Can you imagine a potential option game with Derrick Henry?
4
Carolina Panthers
Derek Carr might be signing with the Saints to win the mediocre NFC South, but the Panthers should remain the favorites. All this roster needs, now led by new head coach Frank Reich, is a quarterback.
And sure, Carolina could trade up for a raw prospect. Or it could send a contract to the Ravens they couldn’t possibly would refuse.
Led by a core of D.J. Moore, Brian Burns, and Ikem Ekwonu, the Panthers quietly won five of their last eight games last year. Now dare to give them a quarterback. Dare to provide them with a player like Jackson, who can carry an offense and buoy a rising defense. Suddenly, the Panthers would amount to a lot more than the potential royalty of a middling division.
3
New York Giants
Jackson’s non-exclusive situation has to be music to the Giants’ ears … right? Even if their staring contest with Daniel Jones ended in a stalemate, Brian Daboll should still pursue the prime quarterback he probably actually wants to build around. Daboll and Jackson would be in the conversation for best head coach-quarterback pairing in the NFC.
The Giants won their first playoff game in over a decade in January. A team with so much room to grow has a wealth of possibilities every single winter with Jackson at the helm.
2
Detroit Lions
I shouldn’t have to elaborate much on this one.
Give Jackson the always-colorful Dan Campbell, the hilarious Jamaal Williams (I still think about this SNF intro), an innovative offensive coordinator in Ben Johnson, and one of the league’s premier offensive lines, and we’re cooking with gas.
The Lions would not only be a bona fide Super Bowl contender, they’d almost be impossibly entertaining. Get it done.
1
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons and Jackson together would be like peanut butter and jelly. Bread and butter. Salt and pepper. Hall and Oates. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Oh, you get it.
Atlanta has over $66 million in cap space. It has Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Tyler Allgeier to work with. And it’s in a relative power vacuum in a weaker NFC conference. Jackson joining forces with the Falcons would put them back on the map. He’d be the biggest Atlanta sports star in a long time. More importantly, they’d have the resources to give him the deal he wants and the players to support his rare ability.
Jackson and the Falcons together are a no-brainer.
